2014 BMW 5-series

A modest update for Munich's high-volume sedan.

The BMW 5-series has brought the Bavarian factory quite a lot of joy. Stylistically a decisive step forward from its controversial predecessor, the E60, and building upon a cost-efficient if slightly portly architecture, the F10 has fared well against competitors as formidable as the Audi A6 and the Mercedes-Benz E-class. But, as some three-and-a-half years have passed since the F10’s introduction, of course it’s time for BMW to execute a mid-term face lift on all three body variants. The majority of changes are stylistic, but under the skin, there are some significant updates as well.

Alterations to the appearance include an updated front fascia; the grille has been accented by added creases; the taillights have been updated; and the lower air intakes take on a more complex appearance, depending on the trim level chosen. The trim level? Yes, the convoluted series of trim levels—base, Modern, Luxury, Sport, and M Sport—that make up today’s 3-series now applies to the 5-series, as well.

More-extensive visual alterations have been carried out on the 5-series Gran Turismo: it receives not only new front and rear fascias, but also taillights that feature new contours, and a split tailgate that has been elongated and emphasized even further. This, says BMW, creates "an even more harmonious" appearance. We’re not sure we’d describe the 5 GT as harmonious to begin with, but it's surely not worse than before, and it adds significantly more trunk space.

All 5-series models receive even-more-subtle interior upgrades: the ambient lighting system now offers a choice of white or orange, the iDrive interface is encircled in chrome, and the ever-important cup holders are bigger than ever—take that, Mayor Bloomberg!

Mechanical changes are similarly under the radar, but they will make humiliating neighbors at the stoplight even easier, thanks to the upgraded 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 in the 550i. Just as in the current Gran Turismo, the 550i sedan now receives 445 horsepower, enough to propel it to 62 mph in a claimed 4.6 seconds. The Active Hybrid 5 carries over unchanged mechanically, but its myriad computers now consider route and navigation input for its engine-motor strategy, further improving efficiency. The 528i and 535i continue on with no changes to their powertrains, and all models, with the exception of the hybrid, will continue to be available with xDrive all-wheel drive.

While the new 5-series’s updates redefine the phrase “a nip here and a tuck there,” we commend BMW for further upping its game in the V-8–powered mid-size luxury-sedan market at a time when competitors are moving into turbo- or supercharged six-cylinders. Besides, with the exception of the Gran Turismo, the F10 needed little more than a shot of Botox, anyway.